Rangers Bats Fuel 8-4 Victory over Astros in Exhibition Series Finale
ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Texas Rangers bats remained hot on Tuesday afternoon as the Alternate Training Site squad collected 11 base hits, including four doubles, in an 8-4 victory over the Houston Astros to finish off a two-game exhibition series sweep of their in-state rivals. Four Rangers batters posted
ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Texas Rangers bats remained hot on Tuesday afternoon as the Alternate Training Site squad collected 11 base hits, including four doubles, in an 8-4 victory over the Houston Astros to finish off a two-game exhibition series sweep of their in-state rivals. Four Rangers batters posted multiple-hit outings, including 1B Charles Leblanc, who finished 2-2 with a team-high three RBI.
<a href="https://img.mlbstatic.com/milb-images/image/upload/milb/widyxuwzbcokvqpzfjpp.pdf" target="blank" >Unofficial statistics from tonight's game can be viewed by clicking here._
Texas reliever RHP Blake Bass was awarded the win after 3.0 shutout innings of relief in which he allowed just one walk while striking out three. Rangers starter RHP Sam Gaviglio allowed a pair of runs on four hits with four strikeouts in 3.2 innings. On the losing side, Astros starter RHP Austin Hansen permitted five runs, only four of which were earned, on six hits and a walk in 2.2 frames.
The Rangers opened the scoring nearly immediately in the first inning as 3B Anderson Tejeda singled prior to Leblanc’s first RBI base hit of the day.
However, the Astros stormed ahead in the top of the second thanks to a Lorenzo Quintana single followed by a two-run Colton Shaver home run.
Houston’s lead proved to be short lived as Texas responded with a four-spot in the bottom of the frame. RF Carl Chester tallied a leadoff double before 2B Diosbel Arias jumped aboard via a single. Following a Frainyer Chavez RBI groundout, CF Delino DeShields doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Tejeda then sent Arias home with a single prior to an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of LF Jason Martin. The fourth and final run of the big inning came via a Leblanc sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Tejeda to score from third, giving Texas a 5-2 edge.
In the fifth, Martin worked a walk, then Leblanc drove him home with a double. C Matt Whatley later got in on the hit parade with an RBI single. Chester tacked on another run in the sixth, a 418-foot solo home run off Astros RHP Jojanse Torres, his second longball in as many nights.
Houston trimmed the final score to 8-4 in the top of the ninth inning as 1B Scott Manea worked a leadoff walk prior to a two-run homer off the bat of RF Jose Siri.
After two days of workouts at Dell Diamond, the Texas Rangers Alternate Training Site squad heads to Globe Life Field in Arlington for a two-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. After Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. contest, the Rangers and Royals open a two-game series at Dell Diamond on April 26.
The Express kick off the 2021 season on Thursday, May 6 against the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) at 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond. Single game tickets as well as full season and mini season membership plans are on sale now. For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!